Detonator



BARLOW.

DETONATOR.

PLICATION FILED FEB. 24, I917.

Patented Sept. 30, 1919.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LESTER P. BABLOW, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIG-NOR TO MARLIN- ROCKWELL CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

DETONATOB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 30, 1919.

Application filed February 24, 1917. Serial No. 150,712.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LESTER P. BARLOW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Detonators, of which the following is a specification. I

My invention relates to improvements in detonators which are especially adapted for use in bombs, torpedoes, or the like, but which may also be used for exploding a charge of explosive material in various other forms of devices.

My present invention constitutes an improvement upon the detonator described and claimed in my application Serial No. 117,579, filed August 30, 1916, for improvements in "bombs or torpedoes. The detonator there described comprises a solid body carrying the detonating material in a pocket or belt formed on or about its peripher The detonator described is preferably cylindrical and is adapted to slide down a tube in a bomb, or the like, to the point at which it is exploded, at which point it may be within the magazine chamber of the bomb with the detonating material in alinement with an opening 01' gap in the tube in which the dot:

onator is mounted. By this arrangement the detonator bridges the gap in the containing tube at the moment of its explosion, and the latter takes place entirely outwardly in the surrounding high explosive material of the magazine chamber. The detonator described also has the advantage, because of its construction, of not breaking into fragments when exploded, so that it is not dangerous in itself if accidentally fired at any time.

By my present improvement, the construction of such a detonator is improved in several particulars. In the present construction the detonating material is packed in an annular container, preferably U shaped in cross-section, and formed of thin metal, or other suitable material, the loaded container being slipped over the solid body portion of the detonator when it is desired to assemble the same until 1t rests on an annular shoulder formed thereon, after which a solid ring invention also includes a form of detonator in which no fuse cap and passage connecting the same with the detonatmg material are used, the detonatlng material being fired by the impact of the firing pin with the solid body of the device. It also includes a modification whereby danger of rupturing the ring and shoulder referred to is decreased by intel-posing specially shaped members of special material between the ring and the container, and the bottom of the container and the body of the detonator, respectively.

In order that a clearer understanding of my invention may be had, attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawings forming part of this application and illustrating certain embodiments of my invention. In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section through a detonator, Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same taken on line 22 of Fig. 1, Figs. 3 and 1 are longitudinal sections taken through modified forms of the detonator, and Fig. 5 is a section similar to Fig. 1 of a further modification.

Referring first to Figs 1 and 2 of the drawings, the detonator comprises a solid body 8, preferably cylindrical and pret erably formed of steel. The outer surface of this body is preferably cylindrical at its lower portion, as is indicated at 37, with an annular shoulder 38 extending inwardly at the upper end of the portion 37. A smooth cylindrical portion' 39 extends upwardly for a distance from the inner edge of shoulder 38. The cylindrical body is continued upwardly for a further distance above the mounted with the end'of passage 46.

smooth portion 39 and is provided with screw-threads 40, the outer diameter of the screw-threads being approximately the same as that of the smooth cylindrical portion 39.

The container 41 is approximately U- shaped in cross section, as shown, and is formed into an annulus, the inner diameter of which is approximately the same as that of the smooth portion 39 of the body 8". This container is preferably formed of thin copper and is packed with detonating material 42, which may be fulminate of mercury, or other desired detonating material. The detonating material may be packed in dry form into the container very readily and quickly and the containers in position whenever desired. Each container is mounted by simply slipping the same over the screw-threads 40 into posltion upon the seat or shoulder 38, the inner surface of the container fitting snugly against the smooth cylindrical surface 39. The ring 43, preferably of steel and having an internal screw-thread, is then screwed into position about the screw-threaded portion 40 ofthe body until the lower surface of the ring engages the upper edges of the container 42, pressing the container firmly against its seat and closing the open upper side of the same. When the device is so assembled, the outer surfaces of the ring 43, the container 42 and the portion 37 of the body are preferably in alinement.

The ring 43 should be sufficiently strong to resist rupture when the detonating material is fired, and the engaging screw-threads should be of sufficient depth and number to prevent the ring being blown ofi' the body of the detonator when the detonating material is fired. A fuse cap 44 may be mounted in the bottom surface of body 8 in position to be contacted by a firing pin when the device is to be used, an axial bore 45 extending upwardly through the body from the fuse cap to a point in alinement with the cylindrical surface 39. At this point, the passage is continued at right angles, as shown at 46, to the periphery 39, the

passage 45, 46 preferably being filled with gun cotton, or other explosive.

The shell of the container 41 is sufficiently thin to enable detonating material 42 to be exploded when the cap 44 and gun cotton in the passage 45, 46 are fired, the inner surface of the container being in contact It is, of course, obvious that a plurality of caps 44 may be provided and a plurality of passages, such as 45, which may connect with the detonator container at different points. t is preferable, however, to have the detonating material fired at a single point, as shown, because in that case detonating waves proceecl in opposite directions circumferentially through the detonating material and impact against each other at a point diametrically opposite to that at which the waves started, and a maximum detonating effect is produced at the point at which the circumferentially extending waves meet/ The detonator shown iii/Fig. 3 is the same as that described above; except that the fuse cap and passage connecting the same with the detonating material are left out. I have found that this may be done when the lower cylindrical portion 37' of the body of the detonator is made sufficiently short, that is, when the distance between the lower end 47 of the detonator body and the shoulder 38 on which the container rests is sufficiently short. This form of the device may be used when the detonator is to be exploded by a violent blow struck against the lower end 47 of the detonator, as, for example, the blow of a rifle bullet moving at high velocity. In this case, the shock imparted to the lower end of the body 8 causes sufficient vibration in the body to fire the detonating material.

The detonator shown in Fig. 4 is the same as that shown in Fig; 3, except that the cylindrical surface of the lower portion of the body is prolonged, as shown at 37 and is provided with an internal recess extending from the lower end of the same upward for a suitable distance. The upper portion of this chamber may have converging walls, as shown at 48, to guide a rifle bullet, or the like, if the latter be used for firing the detonator, into contact with the surface 47. The recess is shown in Fig. 4 as being cylindrical at its lower portion and provided with screw-threads 49 for attaching the detonator to a tube or other device upon which it may be desired to mount the same.

In all cases, the body 8 of the detonator should be made sufficiently thick with reference to the cross-sectional area of the detonating material in the container 42, so that a structure will be provided which will not be shattered into fragments by the explosion of the detonating material. Likewise, the thickness of the steel lengthwise of the detonator between the shoulder 38 and the lower end' of the detonator, and the thickness of the ring 43 lengthwise of the detonator should be sufficient to prevent breaking off these sections by the explosion of the detonator. The only part which may be broken into fragments is the thin shell of the container 41, and this is too slight to constitute any considerable element of danger. The detonator may be mounted in any desired manner within or in relation to the body containing the explosive which it is desired to detonate.

lln Fig. 5 is illustrated a further modification which is adapted to provide further safeguards against breaking the body 8 or the ring 43 when the detonating material is fired. As shown, the steel ring 43 is beveled at its lower edge and a correspondingly beveled ring 49, having a horizontal lower surface, is inserted. This ring is formed of gutta percha, or other substance which will be blown to a fine powder by the explosion of the detonating material. When this explosion occurs, and the material of ring 49 is blown harmlessly away, the upward and outward slant of the lower surface of the steel ring 43 prevents the full force of the explosion acting on the same.

Similarly, in place of the square shoulder 38, the surface 39 may be continued on a downward and outward curve or slant as shown at 50, and a ring 51, of gutta percha or the like, inserted, this preferably having the square upper surface 38 on which the container rests. Rings 49 and 51 may he slipped into position and there held by their shapes. Ring 51 is blown away similarly to ring 49, when there is an explosion, and the curved or slanting surface 50 lessens the likelihood of body'8 being broken. by the explosion. In place of formed rings 49. and 51 filling material such as twine, or other material which will not be broken into sharp hard fragments by the explosion, may be substituted, and the term filling material may be understood as including the rings and equivalent devices.

What I claim is 1. A detonator for a bomb or other explosive device comprising a strong resistive body having a shoulder extending about the same, a container positioned above said shoulder and containing detonatin material, and a member secured about said body' and engaging said container to hold the same in position, said container being clamped between said member and shoulder, substantially as set forth.

2. A detonator for a bomb or other ex plosive device comprising a strong resistive cylindrical body having a lower portion of one diameter and an upper portion of less diameter, said portions being connected by an annular shoulder, and said upper portion being screw-threaded for a portion of 'its length, an annular container of U-shaped cross-section positioned above said shoulder and containing detonating material, and an internally-threaded ring screwed on the upper portion of said body above said container, said container being held in position when said ring is screwed down into'posit-ion, substantially as set forth.

V 3. A detonator for a bomb or other explosive device comprising a solid strong resistive elongated body, and a thin hollow annular container fitted about the outside of the same between its ends, and containing detonating material, substantially as set forth. c

4. A detonator for a bomb or other explosive device comprising a metallic body having a shoulder on the periphery thereof intermediate its ends, and a hollow annular container seated above said shoulder con taining detonating material, the metal under said shoulder being sufli'ciently massive and the proportions of said metallic body being so chosen with relation to the dimensions of said container, that explosion of fulminate of mercury or detonating mafitted about the outside of the same between its ends and containing detonating material, and means for "holding said contamer in position, the detonator being so arranged that said detonating material may be exploded by percussion at one end of the detonator, substantially as set forth.

6. A detonator for a bomb or other explosive device comprising a solid elongated body, a container fitted about the same between its ends and containing detonating material, and a single fuse cap at one end of the said body, connected to a single point on said container by a passageway through said body, substantially as set forth.

7 Adetonator for a bomb or other explosive device comprising an elongated body having a recess formed around the periphery of the same intermediate the ends, a container fitted in said recess containing detonating material, and a single fuse cap at one end of the body, connected to a single point on said container by a passageway through said body, substantially as set forth.

8. A detonatorfor a bomb or other explosive device comprising a strong resistive elongated body having detonating material extending entirely around the same in a belt intermediate its ends, and a fuse cap same, a container positioned above said shoulder and containing detonating material, a resistive member secured about said body, above said container, and havmg an upwardly and outwardly slantin'g lower surface, and filling material of a nature such that it will not be broken into sharp hard fragments by explosion of said detonating material, interposed betweensaid resistive member and said container, substantially as setforth. I I

10. A detonator for a bomb or other exiao plosive device comprising a strong resistive body having a downwardly and outwardly sloping shoulder extending about the same, a container positioned above said shoulder with filling material, of a nature such that it will not be broken into sharp hard fragments by explosion of said detonating material, interposed between said container and shoulder, and means above said container for pressing downwardly on the same, sub- 10 LESTER P. BARLOW.

Witnesses:

Damn SMITH, HENRY M. KLEINROG 

